Newest toy I got is the Digitech RP55 multi-effect pedal box. I saw Scott Groves using it and really liked it and it was cheap, on ebay. But all you get is the box, no power chord. For that, you can either order that while you are at it or go to Guitar Center for the same price and get a 1 Spot adapter and cord. You want 9 volts DC and at least 300 mA of current output. The model NW1-US works just fine and can be used on any DC volt device that has the same polarity.

You could order from Guitar Center, as well, and have it shipped to your nearest store. The price is comparable, plus sales tax and shipping. However it is more convenient and you might get it quicker. When I bought the box on Ebay, it notes that it is from Musician's Friend. So, yeah, if you want to, just go ahead and order the power wall wart. It will be a separate box but they may ship both in one box. Also, sold separately, if you want, is an expression pedal, though any will do as long as it is DC. The pedal is so that you can use your foot to control the wah-wah and volume swells effects and also the flanger and a few other things. For that, a regular instrument cord of tip-sleeve will do.

There are a number of really good amp models to choose from and every effect you can think. The drive is where you get overdrive or straight tone. EQ, compressor, reverb, delay, chorus, flanger/ phasor, octave doubler, detuner, it's literally in there. In many ways it is easier to use than my Roland GS-6, not to mention that you don't need a rack to mount this box, whereas you do for the Roland. You up and down arrow to each effect and adjust with the other arrows to increase or decrease an effect. The main foot pedal switches are to choose different presets to start from. Hold them both down and hold, and you have a tuner for your instrument. I still prefer my Snark but it is nice to have this one. The RP-55 has built in drum sounds and you get those by pressing the drum key. If you press and hold as you give power to the unit, it will activate its cabinet emulator. And instead of you miss-matching cabinets, it will choose the cabinet that best fits the amp you are using in the patch. For example, the Blackface clean sound is going to go to a 2 x 12 with a sound you would normally get if you were plugging into a Blackface and matching cabinet.

I tried it with my Fender 85 amp, which is loud, loud, LOUD. Rattling the house with it set at the lowest volume before the speaker cuts out. leveled the other knobs on the amp so that I can just get what the box is doing.

And it is perfect for recording. I started over on a song because I came up with a new arrangement and wanted to record my bass guitar. And so, I plugged the bass into the box, and then box into the interface. Found a clean sounding patch and fiddled with it and saved in preset location 1. Whenever I want to record or play a clean bass, I can just pedal down to preset 1. And it is safer than playing my bass through my guitar amp. Speaker in a guitar is usually not built to withstand the force needed to handle the low end of a bass guitar. For that, you really need a bass guitar amp, even a small one, that is built for it. But you can play through this pedal box into a computer all day. This can also jack right into a mixer or a pa.

There are a total of 80 presets. 1 through 40 are presets that you, the user can save your own versions of patches in. 41 through 80 are factory presets that cannot be written over. You adjust parameters while in one of those. But it will not save your changes if you turn the unit off. You can do a factory reset, if you want. Or simply go to a factory preset and re-save it in the corresponding location in the 1st forty. Also, it does come with a small manual. And you can also do as I did and go to the digitech site and download it as a pdf. Download it to your main computer and save that, maybe print it in regular typing paper. And I have a kindle app on my tablet. So, there is an email associated with my kindle. I can send a pdf to that email and it will convert to an adjustable format for kindle. Next time I synch to a wifi, it will load to my kindle and I can use that for reference, blow up the screen, whatever.

You can also order the unit direct from digitech. (historical note, they are the people that invented a bunch of the pedal box and foot box technology.)

You might think there are some weird and freaky presets and voicings in there and you would be right. Scott Groves has a great vid on how to adjust these and save settings. And a number of the factory presets he doesn't like. Well, I just about never use a factory patch as is, either. Make it sound the way that you want and save it.

Scott Groves, who literally has been there, done that, totally advocates this for rehearsals, studio gigs, and playing casino lounges. More on that in the music biz thread I have going on.

Oops, I did it again. Got another guitar. Ibanez Gio. The affordable Ibanez, even when new, and their version of the Fender Stratocaster with the addition of humbucker or PAF at the bridge, single in the middle, single at the neck, 5 position switch, one volume, one tone. I checked and the neck is bolt-on and the plate says made in China, which Ibanez may well do. There is some oddities in the clear coat so either it was the cheap run or a copy. Which is only a cosmetic concern. I got it because I wanted an electric that is easier to play while sitting down than my Flying V, which is a bit awkward when sitting down. Plain black with clear coat and a white pick guard and the electronics mount to the guard. It has a whammy that is not moving anything, so the bridge is decked, which is okay, that is what I am used to. I got it at a pawn shop. I played it in the store without an amp but I could tell it would stay in tune and the intonation was pretty damn close and the action was great. Even if the electronics were crap, I can fix that easily. No buzzes on the strings and the fingerboard and frets feel right. I paid 75 dollars with tax. I just checked Guitar Center, a fairly good barometer. A new one thee is about 300 dollars. So, I got a good deal, I think. And since I did not spend a lot, I could mod it. change the PAF style pick-up to an open humbucker. Maybe put in some PX90 singles. But I like the switch and the single volume and the single tone, which I keep on 10, anyway.

I did not fire up the Fender 85 amp, which is way too loud for a Sunday night. I used my Holmes 8 watt practice amp, which is loud enough for just playing in the house. And then also played through my rp55 and that was cool. Ran through no lyric versions of "Cat Scratch Fever" by Ted Nugent, "Barracuda" by Heart, "Highway to Hell" by AC/DC, "LaGrange" by ZZ Top. All comfortable to play. Nice and even action all over the fret board and the neck feels right and I was playing like greased lightning.

Here is something I did not do. I did not mention in the pawnshop how much I knew the guitar was worth. First off, these guys won't really know. Secondly, let me get away with a "steal." Sometimes, all you got to do is shut up. And then go on a forum later and brag about it. Hmm.....
Which still leaves me with getting rid of at least two guitars I have not played in years. An old acoustic I bought at a swap meet and my old Memphis Les Paul Copy. I think I have too many guitars, now.